Wire-stretcher.



J. O. TODD & J. A. HARVISON. WIRE STRETOHER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 4, 1908.

906,583. Patented Dec. 15, 1908.

UNI ED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES C. TODD AND JOHN A. HARVISON, OF JONESBORO, TEXAS, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD TO WILLIAM F. HOWARD, OF JONESBORO, TEXAS.

WIRE-STRETCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 15, 1908.

Application filed May 4, 1908. Serial No. 430,763.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES 0. Tone and JOHN A. HAnvisoN, citizens of the United States, residing at Jonesboro, in the county of Coryell and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire-Stretchers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

Our invention relates to improvements in wire stretchers and similar devices, and consists of the novel features of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, powerful and eflicient device of this character which may be conveniently used for building new fences, tightening up old ones, uniting broken wires, etc.

The above and other objects of the invention are attained in its preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view illustrating the use of our invention in building a new fence Fig. 2 is a detail longitudinal section through the device; Fig. 3 1s a detail edge view of a portion of the body bar showing the slide 11 thereon; and Fig. 4 is a detail transverse section taken on the plane of the pivot 13 in said slide.

Our improved wire stretcher comprises a straight body bar 1 of metal formed at one end with a point which may be driven into a fence post or the like to anchor the device. The other end of the body bar which is preferably square or rectangular in cross section is formed with a transverse seat or recess 3 to receive a link 4 which is retained in the same by an angle plate 5 secured on the end of the bar by a rivet or similar fastening 6. Said end of the bar is also formed with a laterally or right angularly projecting claw 7 in which is formed a V-shaped notch to divide it into two fingers.

In one face of the body bar 1 is formed a longitudinal series of seats or depressions 8 adapted to receive a locking pawl 9 and an operating lever 10 both carried by a slide 11 mounted on the body bar. The slide 11 is preferably constructed of a heavy metal plate bent into U-form to receive the bodybar and having its parallel side portions spaced apart and secured together by a block 12. Rivets or similar transverse fastenings 13, 14 pass through the side portions of the U-shaped slide and said block to secure said parts together to slidably retain the slide upon the bar. The fastening 13 serves as a pivot for the pawl or dog 9 which is arranged in a recess or slot in the block 12 and has one of its ends 15 inclined inwardly and shaped to enter the seats or recesses S in the body bar and its other end 16 inclined outwardly to form a finger piece. A coil spring 17 is arranged in a recess in the block 12 and has one end secured thereto and its other end connected to the end 15 of the pawl so as to cause the latter to normally engage the body bar 1 and enter its seats. The lever 10 has its inner end 18 shaped to enter the seats 8 and it is pivoted adjacent to said end between the outer ends of two curved links 19 which form a yoke and which have their inner ends pivoted to the opposite sides of the slide 11 by the transverse fastening 14. The closed side of the U-shapcd plate or slide 11 has its ends extended to provide a longitudinally and outwardly curved claw 20 which is formed with a V-shaped notch to divide it into two fingers. Attached to the link 4 are two chains 21 which carry hooks 22. Said hooks are preferably detachably and adjustably connected to the chains by forming their inner ends with hooks 23 which may be engaged with any of the links of said chains.

In operation, when it is desired to stretch a wire as in building a new fence, the pointed end of the body bar 1 is stuck into the post at about the height it is desired to stretch the wire and the hooks 22 are then hooked around the post in opposite directions at points equally distant above and below the point 2 of the body bar, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. WVhen the device is thus attached, it will be seen that it will be effectively held in a horizontal position and can neither move upwardly or downwardly nor swing around upon the post. The slide 11 is then moved out upon the bar 1 adjacent to the post and the fence wire is engaged with the claw 20. The lever 10 is then grasped and its end 18 is fulcrumed in one of the seats or recesses 8 in the body bar so that when the outer end of the lever is moved inwardly or away from the post the slide 11 will be drawn in the same direction to stretch the wire. As the slide 1 1 moves inwardly the pawl or dog 15 slides be made at a small cost.

' after the slide has been moved to the inner end of the body bar, it is necessary to still further stretch the wire it may be engaged with the claw 7 while the slide is shifted once more to the outer end of the bar to take a fresh grip upon the wire, as will be readily understood.

From the foregoing it will be seen that our invention is exceedingly simple, strong and durable in construction and may therefore It is also exceedingly convenient to set up and use and it is very powerful in operation.

While we have shown and described in detail the preferred embodiment of the invention, we wish it understood that it may be used in other ways and that various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described our invention what we claim 1s:

A wire stretcher comprising a body bar formed in one face with a longitudinal series of seats, at one end with a longitudinally tapered point and at its other end with a transverse notch, a ring arranged in said notch, an angle plate secured to one side of the bar and having one end extending over the notch to retain the ring therein, chains attached to said ring, hooks upon the free ends of the chains, a slide to receive and slide upon the body bar and provided with the forked outwardly projecting barb wire engaging claw 20, a awl upon the slide to engage the seats in the body bar, a hand lever having one end shaped to engage the seats in the body bar, and a link connection between thel intermediate portion of said lever and the s it e.

In testimony whereof we hereunto affix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES C. TODD. JOHN A. HARVISON.

Witnesses:

G. O. OGLESBY, JOHN L. LAWRENCE. 

